Press Releases

The first North Atlantic right whale of the 2024-2025 calving season was sighted in the Southeast U.S. on Wednesday, Nov. 20. ‘Black Heart,’ ID Catalog #3540 was sighted approximately two nautical miles east of High Hills, part of Cape Lookout National Seashore, N.C., by the North Carolina Early Warning System (NCWS) survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI). Black Heart is approximately 19 years old and is recorded as having one calf in the past.

The sea turtles that had to be relocated from Clearwater Marine Aquarium after Hurricane Helene have now returned to CMA.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium team has launched an exciting new exhibit, “Florida: Wild and Exotic,” which opened in the Atlantis Theater across from the Mangrove Key Kids Zone. This exhibit will showcase a variety of fascinating species, including amphibians, arthropods, reptiles and small mammals, all to help educate visitors about both native and invasive species in Florida.

Dive into a sea of lights and wonder at Aqua Lanterns: A Chinese Festival of Lights at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This luminous new after-hours kicks off the holiday season on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. and will feature the Ruth Eckerd Hall Chorus, which will perform throughout the evening with a selection of songs.

The good news about this year’s sea turtle nesting season? Clearwater Marine Aquarium saw an increase in turtle nests during the 2024 season. CMA documented 271 nests this year, compared to 227 nests in 2023, along the 21-mile stretch of beach they patrol annually in Pinellas County from mid-April to the end of October.  

The annual Right Whale Festival returns to Amelia Island, Florida, with more than 100 exhibitors and many fun and educational events. The festival takes place Nov. 2-3 at Main Beach Park in Fernandina Beach, beginning at 10 a.m. each day.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium will present its third in a series of “Echoes of the Ocean: A Marine Life Speaker Series,” with “Giants to Ghosts: The Plight of the North Atlantic Right Whale,” Oct. 3 from 5 – 8 p.m. at CMA.

In celebration of International Manatee Day, Sept. 7, Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium announce a new partnership they are cofounding called the Wider Caribbean Manatee Alliance (WCMA), an international network, which will link strategic partners across the Caribbean region to collaborate on conservation, community engagement, and research benefiting manatees.

Dive into a sea of lights and wonder at Aqua Lanterns: A Chinese Festival of Lights at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This luminous new after-hours experience debuts on Oct. 16 and will open Wednesday through Sunday evenings and select dates during the holiday season.

Join Clearwater Marine Aquarium for a magical and inspiring afternoon as seven amazing young people receive awards for overcoming challenges and sharing their stories of hope on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.